Final report : issues for today : finding local solutions

Final Report
“Issues for Today:
Finding Local Solutions”
April 30, 2003
Greensboro, N.C.
North Carolina Council for Women
&
Domestic Violence Commission
This report is dedicated
to the memory of
Cora Streeper,
a Woman with Purpose,
who passed away
July 16, 2003.
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Final Report
“Issues for Today: Finding Local Solutions”
On April 30, 2003, 125 people gathered in Greensboro to attend “Issues for Today:
Finding Local Solutions.” A number of factors influenced the planning of the event.
After almost four decades, the N.C. Council for Women was merged with another,
younger state agency, the Domestic Violence Commission. When the merger occurred, a
17-year tradition of hosting the Distinguished Women Awards Banquet ended with
postponing the event and a promise of a rescheduled event later in the year. In the
interim, the agency began to negotiate its way through an unprecedented state budget
shortfall that resulted in a reduction in staff, and put together a five-year strategic plan.
The plan committed the agency to “updating” its priorities and to base them on what
North Carolinians said was important to them. One of the things that the people who
responded to our request for input said was that they wanted a different, more timely and
relevant event. During the same period, N.C. Equity, a nonprofit state advocacy group,
similarly reviewed its organization and then quietly went out of business. The demise of
N.C. Equity rallied members of N.C. Women United, a coalition of groups concerned
with issues facing women. N.C. Women United organized a successful series of
“Agenda Assemblies” across the state. These assemblies were an opportunity for
citizens, mostly women, to determine what issues were important to them and to “feed”
that information into Raleigh in a culminating event, titled “Women’s Advocacy Day.”
At the same time, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation hired a consulting firm, named
Third Space Studio, to facilitate meetings across the state with women to talk about what
has made a positive difference in their lives. The discussions from those 12 meetings
were also considered in designing “Issues for Today: Finding Local Solutions.”
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Registration Process & Profile of Attendees
In order for the conference to be “participant-driven,” when individuals filled out a
registration form, they were asked to identify which issues were most important to them.
Using those responses, participants were assigned to one of four workshop, or “break-out”
sessions. Participants were able to add topics that were not listed on the registration
form, if they wished. A copy of the registration form is attached to this report
(Attachment 1).
An analysis of participants was conducted by the agency and can be found in
Attachment 2.
Contact information for participants can be found in Attachment 3. Participants
requested that this information be made available to them so that they could continue to
communicate with individuals they met at the conference.
Overview of Break Out Sessions
Based on information received from registration forms regarding issues participants were
most concerned with addressing, the four following break-out sessions were established:
Pay Equity and Welfare Reform; Family Violence; Health Care; and Women’s
Representation and Campaign Finance Reform. Each break-out session was assigned a
facilitator and had content experts available to provide an overview of the problem and to
supply information requested by participants during the discussion phase. Reports from
each of those break-out sessions are contained in this report. Participants were given a
briefing on the topic and asked to develop local solutions during their time together.
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I. Report from the PAY EQUITY / LIVING WAGE /
WELFARE REFORM Break-Out Session
Facilitator: June Kimmel, N.C. Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Experts: Polly Williams, N.C. Community and Justice Center
Shirley McClain, N.C. Hunger Network
Debbie Guilbault, Mecklenberg County Women’s Commission
Approximately 20 people participated in this workshop. The group heard from Polly
Williams about a project on pay equity in state government, an initiative by the N.C.
Community and Justice Center, and then divided into three separate interest areas: pay
equity, living wage, and welfare reform. Polly Williams and June Kimmel led the pay
equity section, Shirley McClain led the welfare reform section, and Debbie Guilbault led
the living wage section. A brief summary of each group’s discussion, as well as their
recommendations for local solutions, follows.
Pay Equity
Participants spoke from personal experiences. The younger women seemed a little
bemused about the possibility that they could not enter any field they wanted, but the war
stories from the elders impressed them. June related Gertrude Elion’s difficulty in trying
to enter the scientific field in the late ‘30s. The group learned that it took a world war to
keep her active, and that she went on to win a Nobel Prize. The group agreed that one
must first have the opportunity to achieve, then worry about compensation. The group
recognized that as jobs begin to open up to non-traditional workers they may also
decrease in worth.
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Living Wage
This group wanted to stress the fact that working a full-time job is not always sufficient
to meet routine financial demands. The strategies suggested overlap with both pay equity
and welfare reform.
Welfare Reform
This group struggled with barriers the welfare system is erecting in order to receive
support. They pointed out the obvious need for affordable child care, transportation and
health care as basic supports for working women. They felt it was important to educate
the legislature and the public about the living standard one has while earning minimum
wage, and how that impacts hunger, health and safe living accommodations. The so-called
living wage is itself a bare minimum. The group felt there was inadequate
outreach by county DSS offices keeping some families from receiving food stamps and
other programs that may be available. There was a general sense of outrage at how much
variability there was among counties particularly in the area of eligibility for entitlement
programs; one participant pointed out that entitlement itself was being challenged with
the idea of a general block grant for all programs. (An entitlement goes to anyone
eligible.) As North Carolina has seen with the Children’s Health Insurance Program,
other kinds of funding may fall short.
Finally the group expressed that any woman may find herself needing public support at
some time in her life. A California congresswoman outlined her descent from upper
middle class to welfare because of divorce, a child with major health problems and an
inadequate education. Each of these topics addresses a particular population of women,
and they ultimately send the message that being poor in America has a woman’s face, and
to achieve financial health, there are societal, as well as personal barriers to overcome.
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Recommendations
• Support the legislative Pay Equity Commission proposed this year. If nothing
else, the group felt it would publicize the differences in job description and pay
level.
• Look to county government for help and leadership, since it is local and can be
even more effective in enlarging women’s roles.
• Educate young women and girls about career choices that are non-traditional.
• Identify and publicly congratulate companies, the academic community and
government when they do promote women to highly visible and responsible
positions with the same quality as the men in the company.
• Recognize that some men do not want women, especially women close to them,
to earn more because it represents a threat to their authority, just as defining a
traditionally female position to make it comparable to a traditionally male
position poses a threat to the worth of the traditionally male position. When an
opportunity presents itself, confront this belief.
• Encourage women to enter non-traditional jobs.
• Choose people regardless of gender (and it goes without saying race, color, creed,
etc.)
• Identify other groups in the community to support living wage forums and
collaborate.
• Develop empowerment education for women.
• Publicize visible role models.
• Challenge “front office” thinking.
• Educate strategically – both employers and employees -- as the problem arises on
pay equity issues.
• Increase funding for training to increase job skills, and allow education to “count”
as work time under the state’s welfare program.
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• Contact employers directly to discuss living wage issues.
• Educate workers to understand that they do produce wealth for their employer,
and are “worth it.”
II. Report from the FAMILY VIOLENCE
Break-Out Session
Facilitators: Leslie Parker, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Linda Murphy, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Experts: Beth Froehling, N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Veronica Butcher, N.C. Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Jean Hawley, Guardian Ad Litem Program
Following presentations from each content expert, the discussion was opened up to the
audience. A common thread throughout the discussion was the importance of education
and prevention efforts. Some of the issues that were discussed were how to apply
prevention efforts in schools; how to increase minority involvement in the foster care
system; how to identify community partnerships to better access resources/data and
information; addressing elderly issues; and encouraging the involvement of the faith
community.
Sexual assault curricula in schools was discussed, as was its importance in preventing
dating violence and sexual assault. In addition, the rate of female high school dropouts
was a concern particularly if they were sexually violated or pregnant when leaving
school. The group wanted to have programs in schools to address these issues.
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The group felt that collaborations and partnerships needed to be established in each
community to identify the needs of victims of violence, the elderly, and children in foster
care. More funding was seen as critical for sexual assault and elder services.
Another concern raised was how data was being collected, analyzed and shared with the
public. A couple of participants asked how to collect data on female juvenile offenders
and how to better follow up with these cases. The same was true for the foster care
system. Questions ranged from how foster family referrals were being made to whether
children were safe in care. Realizing a large percentage of those children in foster care
were minority, the group felt there was a need to reach out to the minority community
and to get families more involved. Elderly issues ranged from increasing public
awareness about senior centers, assisted living centers to issues of elder abuse among
family members.
In the area of foster care, someone in the audience pointed out that the number of
children available for adoption was down from last year’s figure (from 12,500 to 9,000 );
however, the largest numbers of children available for adoption are minority. Some felt
that for changes to occur in the foster care system, minority representation on community
committees needed to increase.
The group proposed the following local solutions:
• Establish multi-disciplinary teams to review the progress of moving minority
children through the foster care system.
• Increase minority representation on local foster care committees.
• Screen thoroughly families struggling with poverty before taking their children
away to determine whether other efforts aimed at reducing poverty would be
effective.
• Target minorities in the community by educating them on adoption needs and
volunteering opportunities.
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Another area of significant discussion was school-based prevention. Participants could
not understand why a sexual assault curriculum was not mandated in all schools. Most
believed that this should be implemented in schools to prevent dating violence. Also,
specific training is needed for school administrators in the handling of reported sexual
assaults. The high school drop-out rate among young girls was discussed; emphasis was
placed on programs to assist young girls who had been a victim of sexual assault and/or
were pregnant. The overriding concern was to keep the girls in school.
The group proposed the following local solutions:
• Organize a volunteer task force to go into the school system to provide programs
on self-esteem, mentoring and offering school-sponsored prevention support
groups to assist in lowering drop-out rates.
• Offer a hotline that is accessible to middle and high school students so they can
talk about their issues and learn about resources.
• Undertake a massive effort to educate parents, teachers and administrators on an
acceptable sexual assault curriculum.
The group discussed issues related to the elderly; the focus was on elder abuse. Education
about the needs of the elderly population and available resources for assistance was seen
as vital to building a stronger outreach component and learning who (agencies) is or is
not responding. Better collaboration of existing agencies was also seen as a key factor, as
was learning about available resources and understanding how to report elder abuse.
Recommendations
• Create programs through domestic violence programs to reach out to the abused
elderly.
• Educate visiting nurses, senior centers and home visitors regarding the health and
emotional needs of the elderly.
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• Fund elder services more generously through DSS and local domestic violence
programs.
• Create partnerships with these programs: Meals on Wheels, councils on aging,
health care providers and community centers.
III. Report from the HEALTH CARE ACCESS
Break-Out Session
Facilitator: Kathleen Balogh, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Expert: Paige Johnson, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina
Ms. Johnson set the stage with a short overview of women's health issues in North
Carolina. The group noted that the composition of the group was a little skewed in the
direction of rural areas but also had a good representation of urban areas.
Issues/Barriers to Health Care Access in Urban and Rural Areas
Urban Areas
• Limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables, i.e., gardens
• The cost of fresh fruit and vegetables is higher
• Midwives are not as prevalent
• Young urban professionals need greater access to health care plans that include
“prevention and cosmetic” coverage (dental, eye surgery/vision)
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Rural Areas
• Limited-to-no access to mental health screening
• Lack of public transportation
• Fewer specialists and sometimes fewer doctors, especially those that will see
Medicaid patients
It became clear to the group that there were many shared issues regardless of the urban
or rural setting. They include:
• Generalized fear of medical procedures and doctors, especially in the elderly
population
• Generalized lack of mental health screening, and situation is getting worse
• Growing elderly depression and lack of opportunities to socialize, especially with
cutbacks in funding
• Lack of dental care providers, especially those willing to take Medicaid patients
• Diminishing Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements
• Cost of prescriptions
• Safe/appropriate placements for mental health clients and the elderly, often being
placed together
• Insufficient nutrition education
• North Carolina as a state is not accepting of midwifery
Four themes emerged from the discussion on solutions. These were Prevention;
Advocacy; Education; and Community Action.
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Recommendations
Develop:
• “Family first” support teams operating through organized groups (churches, civic
groups) connecting people to assistance, resource and mentoring
• Community gardens
• Screening as part of Smart Start programs
• Community care teams with trained volunteers checking on the homebound
• Church Share programs offering food packages at a reduced cost. Education
materials on nutrition could be handed out at the same time
• Senior advocacy initiatives to teach seniors how to advocate for themselves
• Advocacy training for a variety of populations and issues, i.e., health insurance
payments and filing
• Consumer education centers
• Prevention gatherings to educate the community on what is being done, and what
savings can be realized, by the community and the state. Invite legislators.
• Increase visibility of the “New Choices” programs
• Encourage the growth of nonprofits
IV. Report from the CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Break-Out Session
Facilitator: Katherine L. Harrelson, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Experts: Anne Mackie, League of Women Voters
Peg Chapin, League of Women Voters
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The workshop opened with speaker and audience introductions. Anne Mackie provided
an overview of the impact of racism on public policy decision-making. She noted that
women should be conscious of their own biases and work diligently to correct those
biases. She provided examples of how racism plays a role in politics and expounded on
those. She urged the audience to become sensitive to diversity as it relates to framing
campaign issues.
Peg Chapin provided an overview of campaign finance reform noting that women do not
and usually can’t raise the kind of money necessary to pay all costs associated with
campaigns. She provided examples of gender differences relative to the financing of
campaigns. She also noted that the support for female candidates is usually much lower
than that of male candidates. Focusing on public policy issues, she stressed the
importance of campaign finance reform as it relates to addressing issues as opposed to
political rhetoric.
The audience then focused on what they considered statewide barriers for women
whether running for office, interacting with other women, or in the workplace. The
discussion culminated into a list of what were considered commonalties whether
statewide or locally. They were: lack of advocacy training for women that would be both
educational and empowering to all women, particularly women at the grass-roots level;
perception on the part of younger women that “the women’s movement” is anti-male, and
that younger women are not included in advocacy training by women’s groups. It was
stated that the majority of campaigns are not reality-based, diversity-conscious enough,
and do not take into account gender and homophobia. Finally, it was noted that women
should understand who is influencing the political agendas and arena.
Recommendations for Local Solutions
• Develop a relationship with legislators, local elected officials and other local
policy-makers. This suggestion is especially important for women.
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• Work with neighborhood groups on issues in order to develop an awareness of the
political process, and educate neighborhood groups about campaign finance
reform.
• Educate and get youth involved dominated, especially college-aged students. It
was felt that not very much is being done with younger groups to involve them in
understanding public policy issues. It was suggested that older men and women
could possibly be educated to involve their grandchildren. It was stated that there
is a great need to educate the public about the “impact of environmental issues on
the health of children” which will encourage more involvement of the public at
the grass-roots level.
• Create child-care co-ops, particularly for women running for public office. Also,
hosting “Issues House Parties” that focus on women’s issues as human issues was
recommended as a means of educating the public about candidates’ platforms.
• Teach male and female leaders about gender communication differences in as
many local settings as possible.
• Work with faith-based organizations on public policy and community issues to
reach families who do not participate in the traditional political processes.
The closing discussion concluded with the suggestion that the “each one reach one”
approach be adopted as a means of getting information out, and that more men should be
included in sessions such as the one of the day. It was thought that cultivating
relationships and inviting men to attend consciousness-raising events would certainly
impact how women’s issues are addressed.
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Women with Purpose Awards
The delivery of the first Women with Purpose Awards served as the high point for many
attendees. The awards were designed to recognize the largely unrecognized
achievements of five women who have given selflessly to their local communities,
working for positive change in the lives of women. Agency region directors designed a
process for identifying women in their region. The winners of the first Women with
Purpose Awards include Cora Redditt Streeper, Yolanda L. Leacraft, Michelle Hardy
Griffin, Mary Klenz and Terry Martin. To read about their accomplishments, refer to
Attachment 4. Below is a photo of the award winners with some agency staff.
Pictured (from left): Kathy Harrelson, Leslie Parker, June Kimmel, Linda Murphy,
Yolanda Leacraft, Mary Klenz, Michelle Hardy Griffin, Cora Redditt Streeper,
Sister Terry Martin, Kathleen Balogh, and Leslie Starsoneck.
Millennium Concepts Findings
As part of the conference, Millennium Concepts, a Winston-Salem-based company,
designed a survey for participants to take on an anonymous basis. The 10-question
survey covered a range of topics. The results, including the survey questions, can be
found in Attachment 5.
Attachments
Attachment 1: Registration Form
Attachment 2: Analyses of Registrants
Attachment 3: Participant List
Attachment 4: Women With Purpose Biographies
Attachment 5: Survey Results
N.C. Council for Women & Domestic Violence Commission
presents
Issues for Today – Finding Local Solutions
April 30, 2003
Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons
Greensboro, N.C.
(A special block of rooms is being held for this event. For reservations
call the hotel @ 1-800-242-6556 and mention this event. Special rates of
$105/night are valid until March 30, 2003.)
Agenda
9:00 a.m.– 9:30 a.m. Registration and Coffee
9:30 a.m.– 10:00 a.m. Greetings, Overview of the Day
10:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Issue Break-Out Sessions
12:30 p.m.– 1:45 p.m. Lunch
Keynote Speaker - Andrea Harris,
N.C. Institute of Minority Economic
Development
"Women with Purpose"
Awards Ceremony
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Sharing of Local Solutions from
Break-Out Sessions
3:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. Wrap-up and Farewell
Registration Fee - $15 per person.
This fee covers all activities including lunch.
Registration Deadline – April 16, 2003.
No Refunds – Substitutions are acceptable.
REGISTRATION FORM
Issues for Today – Finding Local Solutions
Please list all persons attending from your agency.
Your Name: _____________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________
Program/Organization Name: ________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
City: __________________________ State: _________ Zip: ___________
Telephone: ________________________ Fax: ________________________
E-mail: _________________________________________________________
Please check the issues of most interest to you and feel free to add issues of
importance to you. You will be assigned to a break-out session related to your
interests in order to develop local solutions to the problem.
___ Child Care ___ Child Support ___ Pay Equity ___ Welfare Reform
___ Access to Health Care ___ Reproductive Rights ___ Environment
___ Domestic Violence ___ Sexual Assault ___ Child Abuse
___ Campaign Finance Reform ___ Women’s Representation
___ _________________ ___ ________________ ___ _________________
Please make your check payable to NCCFW/DVC
and mail with this registration form to:
PeggyAlexander
N.C. Council for Women & Domestic Violence Commission
1320 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1320
Clip here and return Registration Form
For special accommodations contact Peggy Alexander no later than
April 10, 2003. Telephone: (919) 733-2455.
E-mail: Peggy.Alexander@ncmail.net
April 2003 “Issues for Today: Finding Solutions” Conference
Analysis of Registrants
On April 30, 2003, the agency hosted the “Issues for Today: Finding Local
Solutions” event, a forum for discussing and demystifying important issues for
women. Women from diverse backgrounds, experiences and expertise were
invited to attend and assist in efforts to develop methods for local and state-level
progress.
The N.C. Council for Women and Domestic Violence Commission is
committed to eliminating discrimination and inequities faced by women. To
that end, the agency is actively engaged in creating opportunities to listen to
women and have their concerns guide the agency’s work; as a goal, the
agency’s agenda will be representative of all N.C. women, and opportunities
will be utilized and/or created to solicit valuable input from constituencies
about their concerns and interests. The following analysis about who attended
this conference provides information about people who are interested in the
agency’s work.
As part of the registration process, individuals chose which issues they were
most interested in discussing and addressing. That analysis is also included.
Numbers of Participants
One hundred and twenty-four individuals attended the conference; four of those
individuals were male. Of the 124, 106 people were participants, along with 13
staff and five vendors.
Affiliations
Eighty-eight participants, or 83 percent of those attending the event, identified
their affiliations as follows:
State/County Government Agencies 25%
Domestic Violence Programs 14%
Rape Crisis/Sexual Assault Programs 12%
Other 10%
Communities of Faith/Religious Organization 8%
Women’s Commissions 4%
State-Level / Statewide Coalitions 4%
Displaced Homemaker Programs 3%
League of Women Voters 2%
Colleges/Universities 1%
Issues of Interest
A majority of the participants identified themselves as affiliates of either local
domestic violence/sexual assault programs or state/county government – 26
percent and 25 percent respectively. Not surprisingly, when participants
registered and were asked what issues were important to them to discuss, the
two issues of greatest interest to the majority of participants - 56 percent and 30
percent respectively - were domestic violence and sexual assault. Additionally,
health care was of concern for 25 percent of the participants who chose “access
to health care.” And many participants chose topics related to children with 23
percent choosing child abuse and 12 percent choosing child care. For 26
percent and 16 percent of the participants, women’s representation and pay
equity were of greatest interest, respectively.
Geographic Representation
The overwhelming majority of participants – 38 - represented the agency’s
Central Region. Eighteen participants attended from the Northwest Region, and
14 participants attended from the Western Region. There were six participants
from the Southeast Region, five participants from the Southwest Region, and
four participants from the Northeast Region. [For a specific breakdown of
agency regions, go to www.doa.state.nc.us/doa/cfw.cfw.htm, or call (919) 733-
2455]. And 21 participants attended from regions that were unidentifiable due
to lack of information, i.e., registrants did not provide their addresses.
YOLANDA L. LEACRAFT
Yolanda L. Leacraft is known throughout the United States as an individual who firmly
protects and promotes the human rights of women. As administrator for the Greensboro
Commission on the Status of Women for 14 years, she coordinated the forming of the
Another Way Task Force that evolved into what is now known statewide as Summit
House Inc., an alternative to incarceration for mothers with children. Mrs. Leacraft was
recipient of the Points of Light award presented by the former President William
Jefferson Clinton. Mrs. Leacraft’s vision of Women Improving Race Relations still
stands today through a community task force titled (WIRR) Women Improving Race
Relations. Also during her tenure with the commission, she edited a commission
publication titled “Income and Poverty Status of Women in Greensboro,” by Dr. Paul
Zopf, Guilford College professor of sociology and internationally recognized
demographer. That publication was later used by Dr. Zopf as part of his research for the
textbook “American Women in Poverty.”
Her continued determination to better the lives of women took her to Beijing China, as an
official NGO representative of the National Association of Commissions for Women
(NACW). She served two consecutive terms as president of NACW. She also served as a
visiting lecturer for the Israel Women’s Network in Jerusalem in 1993. She was one of
90 women selected nationally by the Lutheran Women’s Coordinating Committee to be
trained to implement conferences on peace issues at the Shalom Peace Seminar in
Washington, D.C., in 1975.
Her professional experience in management and organizational development earned her
an opportunity to collaborate with nonprofits, businesses, governmental agencies,
churches and community organizations to produce cost-effective programs that addressed
social ills in communities.
Mrs. Leacraft is a true community professional, serving on 28 different boards and
committees. Among them are: United Way Board of Directors, Chair, Greensboro
Housing Authority, Vice-Chair, External Affairs for the Women’s Professional Forum’s
Board, the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation, and the Piedmont
Council of Governments’ Triad Resource Corporation.
She is the recipient of more than 30 awards and recognitions. Among them are: the
Governor’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine, Guilford College Alumni Excellence Award,
African American Woman of Distinction, National Association of Commissions for
Women’s Past Presidents Award, and the Lady Sertoma Service to Mankind Award.
Mrs. Leacraft, twice named a Dana Scholar by Guilford College where she earned a B.S.
degree in sociology, is truly a “Woman with Purpose.”
CORA REDDITT STREEPER
It is with great pleasure that I introduce one of our “Women with Purpose,” Cora Redditt
Streeper. Born and raised in Pitt County, she is a true Greenvillian. She says her life
reads like this: “A funny thing happened to me on my way to Somewhere Else.” That
somewhere else started with Cora working with Pan Am Airlines for eight years,
traveling the world over, and meeting famous personalities.
Having married a Navy carrier pilot, she was launched into a new role – that of a Navy
wife. The new duties included taking a leadership role in various wives clubs on a local
and national level. Her Southern hospitality and Pan American training helped her when
called upon to host large fund-raisers for the Navy and Marine Relief Society. A fashion
show was held on the deck of the carrier Kitty Hawk. Most important to her, though, was
being able to assist, support and comfort other military wives.
Her gracious touch has not gone unrecognized by the countless events and programs she
has done. Cora has demonstrated the need for women to work collaboratively so they can
make the greatest impact. She annually attends the National Southern Women in Public
Service conferences and other national conferences.
She has been a member of the American Business Women’s Association, the Pirate
Chapter, for 20 years and currently is the chair for Pitt County Women’s Commission.
Her annual work on Women’s History Month has targeted local schools. Her
contribution of books and the development of posters about famous women have
educated young people by giving them a sense of history. In addition, she has written
several articles for the local paper about women and the critical need for young women to
register and vote.
She has promoted the work of the state council by offering a seminar encouraging women
to serve on boards and commissions. Most recently she served on the state treasurer’s
committee to plan for the first Greenville and Money conference. She has worked
closely with cooperative extension training women on financial information programs.
She helped begin a coalition of women to annually honor outstanding women.
Cora is now part of a new group - Coalition of Women leaders. The goal of this group is
to provide information on women’s issues and to plan for future programs. Her
boundless enthusiasm and professionalism is contagious, and I want to personally thank
her for all of the work she has done.
MICHELLE HARDY GRIFFIN
Michelle Hardy Griffin is a native of Kinston, North Carolina. She matriculated through Kinston
City Schools in North Carolina and graduated from Winston-Salem State University in 1994 with
a B.S. in therapeutic recreation. Initially out of school, Michelle worked in the Head Start
program in Kinston. Her dedication to the children and her commitment to change and impact
their lives was readily apparent. Michelle felt called to serve older children. She accepted a
position as the executive director of the Governor’s One on One Program in Lenoir County. The
program, at the time, was in poor condition and could have likely closed. Michelle dug her heels
in and refused to let that happen. She worked diligently to improve the program’s volunteer base
to a point the program now keeps a waiting list of volunteers ready to be matched. She has
become so proficient at fund raising the program is now fiscally stable and is one of the top
programs in the state.
She is founder of a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program where she serves 100 at risk children
annually. She is a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer, chaplain of the Rotary of Lenoir County, a
member of the East Carolina Work Force Development Youth Council Board, a member of
Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Kinston Young Adult Association, Black Artist Guild, North
Carolina Head Start Association Life Member, Winston-Salem State Alumni Chapter, NAACP,
vice president of the Mayor’s Committee on Teens, and other service organizations. Michelle
volunteers monthly time at Southeast and Teachers Memorial Elementary Schools in Kinston.
She is past secretary of the General Christian Education Department. She is also past chairman of
the counseling committee of the Eldress Fellowship. She is an active volunteer in the
community. She serves as a support member of the Lenoir County Juvenile Crime Prevention
Council and is a valuable part of the efforts to serve troubled children. This year when the
council identified the need for a program to reduce teen pregnancies, she stepped forward and
wrote a $75,000 grant to help meet this need in Lenoir County. Michelle receives no personal
gain for doing so, only the hope that we might reduce the number of babies having babies in our
community.
She is the recipient of the 2001 Outstanding Service Award for the State of North Carolina
Juvenile Service Workers, 2002 recipient of the Outstanding Service Award for Eastern Carolina
Youth Council, and 2002 recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award for Rotary.
In 1999 when Hurricane Floyd devastated the Kinston community, Michelle worked tirelessly to
assure all of the children associated with the program were in safe housing with the clothes, food
and supplies they needed to help rebuild their lives. To this day, most of the families of current
or past children from the Governor’s One on One Program call on Michelle when they are in
need. Michelle also worked during the flood, counseling others in the community, helping bring
back hope to those in need. She even helped with the Eastern Relief Project run by DJJDP
helping tear down a house so that another could be rebuilt for a family displaced by the flood.
Michelle spends most of her time in church-related activities, such as teen lock-ins, women’s
conferences, teaching workshops, attending revivals, and lecturing. She is noted for her delivery
to youth, sought after for her motivational speaking to people facing challenges such as moms,
singles and disadvantaged youth. (Griffin simply enjoys preaching God’s Word to all people.
Teaching workshops and preaching all over North Carolina and America, the Lord has allowed
her to share God’s Work and His Spirit with the multitude. Her favorite Scripture is Jeremiah
29:11.) Michelle resides in Kinston, North Carolina. She is single and has 12 nieces and
nephews.
MARY KLENZ
Mary Klenz joined the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg in 1991.
Since that time she has served as president (1997- 2001) and first vice president
(1993-1997). She is currently co-president of the League of Women Voters of North
Carolina.
She chaired the statewide grass-roots campaign to repeal the state food tax from
beginning to the time when the state legislature repealed the final portion of the state tax.
During that campaign, Mary traveled across the state to meet with local advocates and
members of the media, organize efforts to have people send their grocery receipts to state
legislators and talk with individuals and groups about a more fair tax system for North
Carolina. The campaign ended when legislators repealed this unfair tax.
While she served as president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg League, she helped develop
and coordinate Civics 101, a program on local government which received an award from
the national League of Women Voters. She organized a court watch in Mecklenburg
County Superior Court, coordinated televised candidate debates for City Council, County
Commission, School Board and N.C. House and Senate candidates. She also represented
the League in advocating for fairness, equity and integration of Charlotte Mecklenburg
Schools in the most recent court case. She also chaired a coalition of diverse
organizations for town meetings in all City Council and County Commission districts. In
the past, she has served on the Mecklenburg County Commission Education Futures
Commission, the Judicial District 26 Strategic Planning Task Force and the WTVI Ready
to Learn Community Advisory Board.
Mary has been the recipient of the 2001 Women’s Hall of Fame Award from the National
Association of Negro Business and Professional Women and the Museum of the New
South, recognized by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation for the 2001 Women and
Leadership in North Carolina, the 2000 NAACP Distinguished Community Service
Award, Susan B. Anthony Award for Community Service (1997), UNC-Charlotte
Woman of the Year Award (1996) and a nominee for the Nancy Smith Reynolds Award
(1999), and the 1996 Women’s Equality Day Award.
She is the founder and owner of Klenz Insurance Agency, which opened in 1979. She
has an M.A. in sociology (1993) and a B.A. in business (1978) from UNC-Charlotte.
Mary has been a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor
Society and Economics Honor Society. She received recognition as one of the Charlotte
Observer “Heroes of Democracy” (1996).
She has been married for 40 years to her husband, Bill, and has two adult children, Brad
and Beth. She has been a Charlotte resident since 1973.
SISTER TERRY MARTIN
Sister Terry Martin, CND (known to everyone as Sister Terry), was born in New York
City, the second of eight children who was greatly influenced in helping others by her
mother. Sister Terry has been in Hayesville since 1991.
Sister Terry is a compassionate, loving, caring, kind, humble and humorous person – the
list could go on and on. Sister Terry is a teacher, community worker, magician and a
mind reader. This is what REACH Inc. has discovered after years of knowing her.
Sister Terry is one of REACH’s resources for domestic violence and sexual assault
victims. When a family needs financial assistance, Sister Terry always lends a hand. A
mother and her children came to REACH on one of the coldest days of winter; they had
no heat. A call was made to Sister Terry, and the next morning sitting on REACH’s
doorstep was not one heater but three. A family called saying they had no blankets,
pillows or winter wear. In the blink of an eye, a phone call came in from the same family
saying “Thank You,” an angel appeared and they were set. The mother of three children
shared, “It’s hard to be proud when your children are cold.”
There is so much Sister Terry does for the community and the churches. She has taught
adult education classes at Tri-County Community College and started a community
center thrift store in Texana, an African-American community, in which she coordinates
shipments of donations from New York.
Interactive Training & Education Solutions May 1, 2003
Issues For Today: Finding Local Solutions
Survey Results
59 participants started the survey.
5 participants began the survey but did not answer any questions.
54 participants completed the survey.
I voted in the 2002 Congressional Election
64% or 35 of 55 Yes
36% or 20 of 55 No
I serve on the Board of Directors for (multiple answers permitted)
22% or 12 of 55 Non-Profit
7% or 4 of 55 Corporation
16% or 9 of 55 Another Organization
47% or 26 of 55 I do not currently serve on any boards
During the past 5 years, comparing what I was paid to co-workers that perform(ed) comparable work
42% or 23 of 55 I was Paid Less
2% or 1 of 55 I was Paid More
16% or 9 of 55 I was Paid about the same
9% or 5 of 55 I was Paid more than some and less than other
31% or 19 of 55 I am Paid?!
I have personally experienced violence at (multiple answers permitted)
65% or 35 of 54 Home
15% or 8 of 54 Workplace
31% or 17 of 54 While Dating
33% or 18 of 54 Have not experienced violence
When I hear a Dixie Chicks song I
27% or 15 of 55 Find another song
35% or 19 of 55 Continue to Listen
38% or 20 of 55 Don't listen to Country
I have personally experienced discrimination in (multiple answers permitted)
69% or 37 of 54 Employment
33% or 18 of 54 Housing
15% or 8 of 54 Education
9% or 6 of 54 Have not experienced discrimination
Health Insurance or Cost of Treatment has influenced my health-care choices over the past year
73% or 40 of 55 Yes
27% or 14 of 55 No
If the services were covered by health insurance I would use the following complimentary health-care
professionals
38% or 21 of 55 Chiropractor
16% or 9 of 55 Acupuncturist
29% or 16 of 55 Massage Therapist
2% or 1 of 55 Other Holistic Health-care Professional
11% or 6 of 55 None
My age falls in the range
5% or 3 of 55 Under 25
20% or 11 of 55 25-34
35% or 19 of 55 35-44
25% or 14 of 55 45-54
10% or 5 of 55 55-64
4% or 2 of 55 65 or older
I am
7% or 4 of 55 Male
93% or 50 of 55 Female

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Final Report
“Issues for Today:
Finding Local Solutions”
April 30, 2003
Greensboro, N.C.
North Carolina Council for Women
&
Domestic Violence Commission
This report is dedicated
to the memory of
Cora Streeper,
a Woman with Purpose,
who passed away
July 16, 2003.
1
Final Report
“Issues for Today: Finding Local Solutions”
On April 30, 2003, 125 people gathered in Greensboro to attend “Issues for Today:
Finding Local Solutions.” A number of factors influenced the planning of the event.
After almost four decades, the N.C. Council for Women was merged with another,
younger state agency, the Domestic Violence Commission. When the merger occurred, a
17-year tradition of hosting the Distinguished Women Awards Banquet ended with
postponing the event and a promise of a rescheduled event later in the year. In the
interim, the agency began to negotiate its way through an unprecedented state budget
shortfall that resulted in a reduction in staff, and put together a five-year strategic plan.
The plan committed the agency to “updating” its priorities and to base them on what
North Carolinians said was important to them. One of the things that the people who
responded to our request for input said was that they wanted a different, more timely and
relevant event. During the same period, N.C. Equity, a nonprofit state advocacy group,
similarly reviewed its organization and then quietly went out of business. The demise of
N.C. Equity rallied members of N.C. Women United, a coalition of groups concerned
with issues facing women. N.C. Women United organized a successful series of
“Agenda Assemblies” across the state. These assemblies were an opportunity for
citizens, mostly women, to determine what issues were important to them and to “feed”
that information into Raleigh in a culminating event, titled “Women’s Advocacy Day.”
At the same time, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation hired a consulting firm, named
Third Space Studio, to facilitate meetings across the state with women to talk about what
has made a positive difference in their lives. The discussions from those 12 meetings
were also considered in designing “Issues for Today: Finding Local Solutions.”
2
Registration Process & Profile of Attendees
In order for the conference to be “participant-driven,” when individuals filled out a
registration form, they were asked to identify which issues were most important to them.
Using those responses, participants were assigned to one of four workshop, or “break-out”
sessions. Participants were able to add topics that were not listed on the registration
form, if they wished. A copy of the registration form is attached to this report
(Attachment 1).
An analysis of participants was conducted by the agency and can be found in
Attachment 2.
Contact information for participants can be found in Attachment 3. Participants
requested that this information be made available to them so that they could continue to
communicate with individuals they met at the conference.
Overview of Break Out Sessions
Based on information received from registration forms regarding issues participants were
most concerned with addressing, the four following break-out sessions were established:
Pay Equity and Welfare Reform; Family Violence; Health Care; and Women’s
Representation and Campaign Finance Reform. Each break-out session was assigned a
facilitator and had content experts available to provide an overview of the problem and to
supply information requested by participants during the discussion phase. Reports from
each of those break-out sessions are contained in this report. Participants were given a
briefing on the topic and asked to develop local solutions during their time together.
3
I. Report from the PAY EQUITY / LIVING WAGE /
WELFARE REFORM Break-Out Session
Facilitator: June Kimmel, N.C. Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Experts: Polly Williams, N.C. Community and Justice Center
Shirley McClain, N.C. Hunger Network
Debbie Guilbault, Mecklenberg County Women’s Commission
Approximately 20 people participated in this workshop. The group heard from Polly
Williams about a project on pay equity in state government, an initiative by the N.C.
Community and Justice Center, and then divided into three separate interest areas: pay
equity, living wage, and welfare reform. Polly Williams and June Kimmel led the pay
equity section, Shirley McClain led the welfare reform section, and Debbie Guilbault led
the living wage section. A brief summary of each group’s discussion, as well as their
recommendations for local solutions, follows.
Pay Equity
Participants spoke from personal experiences. The younger women seemed a little
bemused about the possibility that they could not enter any field they wanted, but the war
stories from the elders impressed them. June related Gertrude Elion’s difficulty in trying
to enter the scientific field in the late ‘30s. The group learned that it took a world war to
keep her active, and that she went on to win a Nobel Prize. The group agreed that one
must first have the opportunity to achieve, then worry about compensation. The group
recognized that as jobs begin to open up to non-traditional workers they may also
decrease in worth.
4
Living Wage
This group wanted to stress the fact that working a full-time job is not always sufficient
to meet routine financial demands. The strategies suggested overlap with both pay equity
and welfare reform.
Welfare Reform
This group struggled with barriers the welfare system is erecting in order to receive
support. They pointed out the obvious need for affordable child care, transportation and
health care as basic supports for working women. They felt it was important to educate
the legislature and the public about the living standard one has while earning minimum
wage, and how that impacts hunger, health and safe living accommodations. The so-called
living wage is itself a bare minimum. The group felt there was inadequate
outreach by county DSS offices keeping some families from receiving food stamps and
other programs that may be available. There was a general sense of outrage at how much
variability there was among counties particularly in the area of eligibility for entitlement
programs; one participant pointed out that entitlement itself was being challenged with
the idea of a general block grant for all programs. (An entitlement goes to anyone
eligible.) As North Carolina has seen with the Children’s Health Insurance Program,
other kinds of funding may fall short.
Finally the group expressed that any woman may find herself needing public support at
some time in her life. A California congresswoman outlined her descent from upper
middle class to welfare because of divorce, a child with major health problems and an
inadequate education. Each of these topics addresses a particular population of women,
and they ultimately send the message that being poor in America has a woman’s face, and
to achieve financial health, there are societal, as well as personal barriers to overcome.
5
Recommendations
• Support the legislative Pay Equity Commission proposed this year. If nothing
else, the group felt it would publicize the differences in job description and pay
level.
• Look to county government for help and leadership, since it is local and can be
even more effective in enlarging women’s roles.
• Educate young women and girls about career choices that are non-traditional.
• Identify and publicly congratulate companies, the academic community and
government when they do promote women to highly visible and responsible
positions with the same quality as the men in the company.
• Recognize that some men do not want women, especially women close to them,
to earn more because it represents a threat to their authority, just as defining a
traditionally female position to make it comparable to a traditionally male
position poses a threat to the worth of the traditionally male position. When an
opportunity presents itself, confront this belief.
• Encourage women to enter non-traditional jobs.
• Choose people regardless of gender (and it goes without saying race, color, creed,
etc.)
• Identify other groups in the community to support living wage forums and
collaborate.
• Develop empowerment education for women.
• Publicize visible role models.
• Challenge “front office” thinking.
• Educate strategically – both employers and employees -- as the problem arises on
pay equity issues.
• Increase funding for training to increase job skills, and allow education to “count”
as work time under the state’s welfare program.
6
• Contact employers directly to discuss living wage issues.
• Educate workers to understand that they do produce wealth for their employer,
and are “worth it.”
II. Report from the FAMILY VIOLENCE
Break-Out Session
Facilitators: Leslie Parker, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Linda Murphy, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Experts: Beth Froehling, N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Veronica Butcher, N.C. Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Jean Hawley, Guardian Ad Litem Program
Following presentations from each content expert, the discussion was opened up to the
audience. A common thread throughout the discussion was the importance of education
and prevention efforts. Some of the issues that were discussed were how to apply
prevention efforts in schools; how to increase minority involvement in the foster care
system; how to identify community partnerships to better access resources/data and
information; addressing elderly issues; and encouraging the involvement of the faith
community.
Sexual assault curricula in schools was discussed, as was its importance in preventing
dating violence and sexual assault. In addition, the rate of female high school dropouts
was a concern particularly if they were sexually violated or pregnant when leaving
school. The group wanted to have programs in schools to address these issues.
7
The group felt that collaborations and partnerships needed to be established in each
community to identify the needs of victims of violence, the elderly, and children in foster
care. More funding was seen as critical for sexual assault and elder services.
Another concern raised was how data was being collected, analyzed and shared with the
public. A couple of participants asked how to collect data on female juvenile offenders
and how to better follow up with these cases. The same was true for the foster care
system. Questions ranged from how foster family referrals were being made to whether
children were safe in care. Realizing a large percentage of those children in foster care
were minority, the group felt there was a need to reach out to the minority community
and to get families more involved. Elderly issues ranged from increasing public
awareness about senior centers, assisted living centers to issues of elder abuse among
family members.
In the area of foster care, someone in the audience pointed out that the number of
children available for adoption was down from last year’s figure (from 12,500 to 9,000 );
however, the largest numbers of children available for adoption are minority. Some felt
that for changes to occur in the foster care system, minority representation on community
committees needed to increase.
The group proposed the following local solutions:
• Establish multi-disciplinary teams to review the progress of moving minority
children through the foster care system.
• Increase minority representation on local foster care committees.
• Screen thoroughly families struggling with poverty before taking their children
away to determine whether other efforts aimed at reducing poverty would be
effective.
• Target minorities in the community by educating them on adoption needs and
volunteering opportunities.
8
Another area of significant discussion was school-based prevention. Participants could
not understand why a sexual assault curriculum was not mandated in all schools. Most
believed that this should be implemented in schools to prevent dating violence. Also,
specific training is needed for school administrators in the handling of reported sexual
assaults. The high school drop-out rate among young girls was discussed; emphasis was
placed on programs to assist young girls who had been a victim of sexual assault and/or
were pregnant. The overriding concern was to keep the girls in school.
The group proposed the following local solutions:
• Organize a volunteer task force to go into the school system to provide programs
on self-esteem, mentoring and offering school-sponsored prevention support
groups to assist in lowering drop-out rates.
• Offer a hotline that is accessible to middle and high school students so they can
talk about their issues and learn about resources.
• Undertake a massive effort to educate parents, teachers and administrators on an
acceptable sexual assault curriculum.
The group discussed issues related to the elderly; the focus was on elder abuse. Education
about the needs of the elderly population and available resources for assistance was seen
as vital to building a stronger outreach component and learning who (agencies) is or is
not responding. Better collaboration of existing agencies was also seen as a key factor, as
was learning about available resources and understanding how to report elder abuse.
Recommendations
• Create programs through domestic violence programs to reach out to the abused
elderly.
• Educate visiting nurses, senior centers and home visitors regarding the health and
emotional needs of the elderly.
9
• Fund elder services more generously through DSS and local domestic violence
programs.
• Create partnerships with these programs: Meals on Wheels, councils on aging,
health care providers and community centers.
III. Report from the HEALTH CARE ACCESS
Break-Out Session
Facilitator: Kathleen Balogh, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Expert: Paige Johnson, Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina
Ms. Johnson set the stage with a short overview of women's health issues in North
Carolina. The group noted that the composition of the group was a little skewed in the
direction of rural areas but also had a good representation of urban areas.
Issues/Barriers to Health Care Access in Urban and Rural Areas
Urban Areas
• Limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables, i.e., gardens
• The cost of fresh fruit and vegetables is higher
• Midwives are not as prevalent
• Young urban professionals need greater access to health care plans that include
“prevention and cosmetic” coverage (dental, eye surgery/vision)
10
Rural Areas
• Limited-to-no access to mental health screening
• Lack of public transportation
• Fewer specialists and sometimes fewer doctors, especially those that will see
Medicaid patients
It became clear to the group that there were many shared issues regardless of the urban
or rural setting. They include:
• Generalized fear of medical procedures and doctors, especially in the elderly
population
• Generalized lack of mental health screening, and situation is getting worse
• Growing elderly depression and lack of opportunities to socialize, especially with
cutbacks in funding
• Lack of dental care providers, especially those willing to take Medicaid patients
• Diminishing Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements
• Cost of prescriptions
• Safe/appropriate placements for mental health clients and the elderly, often being
placed together
• Insufficient nutrition education
• North Carolina as a state is not accepting of midwifery
Four themes emerged from the discussion on solutions. These were Prevention;
Advocacy; Education; and Community Action.
11
Recommendations
Develop:
• “Family first” support teams operating through organized groups (churches, civic
groups) connecting people to assistance, resource and mentoring
• Community gardens
• Screening as part of Smart Start programs
• Community care teams with trained volunteers checking on the homebound
• Church Share programs offering food packages at a reduced cost. Education
materials on nutrition could be handed out at the same time
• Senior advocacy initiatives to teach seniors how to advocate for themselves
• Advocacy training for a variety of populations and issues, i.e., health insurance
payments and filing
• Consumer education centers
• Prevention gatherings to educate the community on what is being done, and what
savings can be realized, by the community and the state. Invite legislators.
• Increase visibility of the “New Choices” programs
• Encourage the growth of nonprofits
IV. Report from the CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Break-Out Session
Facilitator: Katherine L. Harrelson, Council for Women & Domestic Violence
Commission
Content Experts: Anne Mackie, League of Women Voters
Peg Chapin, League of Women Voters
12
The workshop opened with speaker and audience introductions. Anne Mackie provided
an overview of the impact of racism on public policy decision-making. She noted that
women should be conscious of their own biases and work diligently to correct those
biases. She provided examples of how racism plays a role in politics and expounded on
those. She urged the audience to become sensitive to diversity as it relates to framing
campaign issues.
Peg Chapin provided an overview of campaign finance reform noting that women do not
and usually can’t raise the kind of money necessary to pay all costs associated with
campaigns. She provided examples of gender differences relative to the financing of
campaigns. She also noted that the support for female candidates is usually much lower
than that of male candidates. Focusing on public policy issues, she stressed the
importance of campaign finance reform as it relates to addressing issues as opposed to
political rhetoric.
The audience then focused on what they considered statewide barriers for women
whether running for office, interacting with other women, or in the workplace. The
discussion culminated into a list of what were considered commonalties whether
statewide or locally. They were: lack of advocacy training for women that would be both
educational and empowering to all women, particularly women at the grass-roots level;
perception on the part of younger women that “the women’s movement” is anti-male, and
that younger women are not included in advocacy training by women’s groups. It was
stated that the majority of campaigns are not reality-based, diversity-conscious enough,
and do not take into account gender and homophobia. Finally, it was noted that women
should understand who is influencing the political agendas and arena.
Recommendations for Local Solutions
• Develop a relationship with legislators, local elected officials and other local
policy-makers. This suggestion is especially important for women.
13
• Work with neighborhood groups on issues in order to develop an awareness of the
political process, and educate neighborhood groups about campaign finance
reform.
• Educate and get youth involved dominated, especially college-aged students. It
was felt that not very much is being done with younger groups to involve them in
understanding public policy issues. It was suggested that older men and women
could possibly be educated to involve their grandchildren. It was stated that there
is a great need to educate the public about the “impact of environmental issues on
the health of children” which will encourage more involvement of the public at
the grass-roots level.
• Create child-care co-ops, particularly for women running for public office. Also,
hosting “Issues House Parties” that focus on women’s issues as human issues was
recommended as a means of educating the public about candidates’ platforms.
• Teach male and female leaders about gender communication differences in as
many local settings as possible.
• Work with faith-based organizations on public policy and community issues to
reach families who do not participate in the traditional political processes.
The closing discussion concluded with the suggestion that the “each one reach one”
approach be adopted as a means of getting information out, and that more men should be
included in sessions such as the one of the day. It was thought that cultivating
relationships and inviting men to attend consciousness-raising events would certainly
impact how women’s issues are addressed.
14
Women with Purpose Awards
The delivery of the first Women with Purpose Awards served as the high point for many
attendees. The awards were designed to recognize the largely unrecognized
achievements of five women who have given selflessly to their local communities,
working for positive change in the lives of women. Agency region directors designed a
process for identifying women in their region. The winners of the first Women with
Purpose Awards include Cora Redditt Streeper, Yolanda L. Leacraft, Michelle Hardy
Griffin, Mary Klenz and Terry Martin. To read about their accomplishments, refer to
Attachment 4. Below is a photo of the award winners with some agency staff.
Pictured (from left): Kathy Harrelson, Leslie Parker, June Kimmel, Linda Murphy,
Yolanda Leacraft, Mary Klenz, Michelle Hardy Griffin, Cora Redditt Streeper,
Sister Terry Martin, Kathleen Balogh, and Leslie Starsoneck.
Millennium Concepts Findings
As part of the conference, Millennium Concepts, a Winston-Salem-based company,
designed a survey for participants to take on an anonymous basis. The 10-question
survey covered a range of topics. The results, including the survey questions, can be
found in Attachment 5.
Attachments
Attachment 1: Registration Form
Attachment 2: Analyses of Registrants
Attachment 3: Participant List
Attachment 4: Women With Purpose Biographies
Attachment 5: Survey Results
N.C. Council for Women & Domestic Violence Commission
presents
Issues for Today – Finding Local Solutions
April 30, 2003
Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons
Greensboro, N.C.
(A special block of rooms is being held for this event. For reservations
call the hotel @ 1-800-242-6556 and mention this event. Special rates of
$105/night are valid until March 30, 2003.)
Agenda
9:00 a.m.– 9:30 a.m. Registration and Coffee
9:30 a.m.– 10:00 a.m. Greetings, Overview of the Day
10:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Issue Break-Out Sessions
12:30 p.m.– 1:45 p.m. Lunch
Keynote Speaker - Andrea Harris,
N.C. Institute of Minority Economic
Development
"Women with Purpose"
Awards Ceremony
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Sharing of Local Solutions from
Break-Out Sessions
3:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. Wrap-up and Farewell
Registration Fee - $15 per person.
This fee covers all activities including lunch.
Registration Deadline – April 16, 2003.
No Refunds – Substitutions are acceptable.
REGISTRATION FORM
Issues for Today – Finding Local Solutions
Please list all persons attending from your agency.
Your Name: _____________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________________
Program/Organization Name: ________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
City: __________________________ State: _________ Zip: ___________
Telephone: ________________________ Fax: ________________________
E-mail: _________________________________________________________
Please check the issues of most interest to you and feel free to add issues of
importance to you. You will be assigned to a break-out session related to your
interests in order to develop local solutions to the problem.
___ Child Care ___ Child Support ___ Pay Equity ___ Welfare Reform
___ Access to Health Care ___ Reproductive Rights ___ Environment
___ Domestic Violence ___ Sexual Assault ___ Child Abuse
___ Campaign Finance Reform ___ Women’s Representation
___ _________________ ___ ________________ ___ _________________
Please make your check payable to NCCFW/DVC
and mail with this registration form to:
PeggyAlexander
N.C. Council for Women & Domestic Violence Commission
1320 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1320
Clip here and return Registration Form
For special accommodations contact Peggy Alexander no later than
April 10, 2003. Telephone: (919) 733-2455.
E-mail: Peggy.Alexander@ncmail.net
April 2003 “Issues for Today: Finding Solutions” Conference
Analysis of Registrants
On April 30, 2003, the agency hosted the “Issues for Today: Finding Local
Solutions” event, a forum for discussing and demystifying important issues for
women. Women from diverse backgrounds, experiences and expertise were
invited to attend and assist in efforts to develop methods for local and state-level
progress.
The N.C. Council for Women and Domestic Violence Commission is
committed to eliminating discrimination and inequities faced by women. To
that end, the agency is actively engaged in creating opportunities to listen to
women and have their concerns guide the agency’s work; as a goal, the
agency’s agenda will be representative of all N.C. women, and opportunities
will be utilized and/or created to solicit valuable input from constituencies
about their concerns and interests. The following analysis about who attended
this conference provides information about people who are interested in the
agency’s work.
As part of the registration process, individuals chose which issues they were
most interested in discussing and addressing. That analysis is also included.
Numbers of Participants
One hundred and twenty-four individuals attended the conference; four of those
individuals were male. Of the 124, 106 people were participants, along with 13
staff and five vendors.
Affiliations
Eighty-eight participants, or 83 percent of those attending the event, identified
their affiliations as follows:
State/County Government Agencies 25%
Domestic Violence Programs 14%
Rape Crisis/Sexual Assault Programs 12%
Other 10%
Communities of Faith/Religious Organization 8%
Women’s Commissions 4%
State-Level / Statewide Coalitions 4%
Displaced Homemaker Programs 3%
League of Women Voters 2%
Colleges/Universities 1%
Issues of Interest
A majority of the participants identified themselves as affiliates of either local
domestic violence/sexual assault programs or state/county government – 26
percent and 25 percent respectively. Not surprisingly, when participants
registered and were asked what issues were important to them to discuss, the
two issues of greatest interest to the majority of participants - 56 percent and 30
percent respectively - were domestic violence and sexual assault. Additionally,
health care was of concern for 25 percent of the participants who chose “access
to health care.” And many participants chose topics related to children with 23
percent choosing child abuse and 12 percent choosing child care. For 26
percent and 16 percent of the participants, women’s representation and pay
equity were of greatest interest, respectively.
Geographic Representation
The overwhelming majority of participants – 38 - represented the agency’s
Central Region. Eighteen participants attended from the Northwest Region, and
14 participants attended from the Western Region. There were six participants
from the Southeast Region, five participants from the Southwest Region, and
four participants from the Northeast Region. [For a specific breakdown of
agency regions, go to www.doa.state.nc.us/doa/cfw.cfw.htm, or call (919) 733-
2455]. And 21 participants attended from regions that were unidentifiable due
to lack of information, i.e., registrants did not provide their addresses.
YOLANDA L. LEACRAFT
Yolanda L. Leacraft is known throughout the United States as an individual who firmly
protects and promotes the human rights of women. As administrator for the Greensboro
Commission on the Status of Women for 14 years, she coordinated the forming of the
Another Way Task Force that evolved into what is now known statewide as Summit
House Inc., an alternative to incarceration for mothers with children. Mrs. Leacraft was
recipient of the Points of Light award presented by the former President William
Jefferson Clinton. Mrs. Leacraft’s vision of Women Improving Race Relations still
stands today through a community task force titled (WIRR) Women Improving Race
Relations. Also during her tenure with the commission, she edited a commission
publication titled “Income and Poverty Status of Women in Greensboro,” by Dr. Paul
Zopf, Guilford College professor of sociology and internationally recognized
demographer. That publication was later used by Dr. Zopf as part of his research for the
textbook “American Women in Poverty.”
Her continued determination to better the lives of women took her to Beijing China, as an
official NGO representative of the National Association of Commissions for Women
(NACW). She served two consecutive terms as president of NACW. She also served as a
visiting lecturer for the Israel Women’s Network in Jerusalem in 1993. She was one of
90 women selected nationally by the Lutheran Women’s Coordinating Committee to be
trained to implement conferences on peace issues at the Shalom Peace Seminar in
Washington, D.C., in 1975.
Her professional experience in management and organizational development earned her
an opportunity to collaborate with nonprofits, businesses, governmental agencies,
churches and community organizations to produce cost-effective programs that addressed
social ills in communities.
Mrs. Leacraft is a true community professional, serving on 28 different boards and
committees. Among them are: United Way Board of Directors, Chair, Greensboro
Housing Authority, Vice-Chair, External Affairs for the Women’s Professional Forum’s
Board, the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation, and the Piedmont
Council of Governments’ Triad Resource Corporation.
She is the recipient of more than 30 awards and recognitions. Among them are: the
Governor’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine, Guilford College Alumni Excellence Award,
African American Woman of Distinction, National Association of Commissions for
Women’s Past Presidents Award, and the Lady Sertoma Service to Mankind Award.
Mrs. Leacraft, twice named a Dana Scholar by Guilford College where she earned a B.S.
degree in sociology, is truly a “Woman with Purpose.”
CORA REDDITT STREEPER
It is with great pleasure that I introduce one of our “Women with Purpose,” Cora Redditt
Streeper. Born and raised in Pitt County, she is a true Greenvillian. She says her life
reads like this: “A funny thing happened to me on my way to Somewhere Else.” That
somewhere else started with Cora working with Pan Am Airlines for eight years,
traveling the world over, and meeting famous personalities.
Having married a Navy carrier pilot, she was launched into a new role – that of a Navy
wife. The new duties included taking a leadership role in various wives clubs on a local
and national level. Her Southern hospitality and Pan American training helped her when
called upon to host large fund-raisers for the Navy and Marine Relief Society. A fashion
show was held on the deck of the carrier Kitty Hawk. Most important to her, though, was
being able to assist, support and comfort other military wives.
Her gracious touch has not gone unrecognized by the countless events and programs she
has done. Cora has demonstrated the need for women to work collaboratively so they can
make the greatest impact. She annually attends the National Southern Women in Public
Service conferences and other national conferences.
She has been a member of the American Business Women’s Association, the Pirate
Chapter, for 20 years and currently is the chair for Pitt County Women’s Commission.
Her annual work on Women’s History Month has targeted local schools. Her
contribution of books and the development of posters about famous women have
educated young people by giving them a sense of history. In addition, she has written
several articles for the local paper about women and the critical need for young women to
register and vote.
She has promoted the work of the state council by offering a seminar encouraging women
to serve on boards and commissions. Most recently she served on the state treasurer’s
committee to plan for the first Greenville and Money conference. She has worked
closely with cooperative extension training women on financial information programs.
She helped begin a coalition of women to annually honor outstanding women.
Cora is now part of a new group - Coalition of Women leaders. The goal of this group is
to provide information on women’s issues and to plan for future programs. Her
boundless enthusiasm and professionalism is contagious, and I want to personally thank
her for all of the work she has done.
MICHELLE HARDY GRIFFIN
Michelle Hardy Griffin is a native of Kinston, North Carolina. She matriculated through Kinston
City Schools in North Carolina and graduated from Winston-Salem State University in 1994 with
a B.S. in therapeutic recreation. Initially out of school, Michelle worked in the Head Start
program in Kinston. Her dedication to the children and her commitment to change and impact
their lives was readily apparent. Michelle felt called to serve older children. She accepted a
position as the executive director of the Governor’s One on One Program in Lenoir County. The
program, at the time, was in poor condition and could have likely closed. Michelle dug her heels
in and refused to let that happen. She worked diligently to improve the program’s volunteer base
to a point the program now keeps a waiting list of volunteers ready to be matched. She has
become so proficient at fund raising the program is now fiscally stable and is one of the top
programs in the state.
She is founder of a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program where she serves 100 at risk children
annually. She is a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer, chaplain of the Rotary of Lenoir County, a
member of the East Carolina Work Force Development Youth Council Board, a member of
Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Kinston Young Adult Association, Black Artist Guild, North
Carolina Head Start Association Life Member, Winston-Salem State Alumni Chapter, NAACP,
vice president of the Mayor’s Committee on Teens, and other service organizations. Michelle
volunteers monthly time at Southeast and Teachers Memorial Elementary Schools in Kinston.
She is past secretary of the General Christian Education Department. She is also past chairman of
the counseling committee of the Eldress Fellowship. She is an active volunteer in the
community. She serves as a support member of the Lenoir County Juvenile Crime Prevention
Council and is a valuable part of the efforts to serve troubled children. This year when the
council identified the need for a program to reduce teen pregnancies, she stepped forward and
wrote a $75,000 grant to help meet this need in Lenoir County. Michelle receives no personal
gain for doing so, only the hope that we might reduce the number of babies having babies in our
community.
She is the recipient of the 2001 Outstanding Service Award for the State of North Carolina
Juvenile Service Workers, 2002 recipient of the Outstanding Service Award for Eastern Carolina
Youth Council, and 2002 recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award for Rotary.
In 1999 when Hurricane Floyd devastated the Kinston community, Michelle worked tirelessly to
assure all of the children associated with the program were in safe housing with the clothes, food
and supplies they needed to help rebuild their lives. To this day, most of the families of current
or past children from the Governor’s One on One Program call on Michelle when they are in
need. Michelle also worked during the flood, counseling others in the community, helping bring
back hope to those in need. She even helped with the Eastern Relief Project run by DJJDP
helping tear down a house so that another could be rebuilt for a family displaced by the flood.
Michelle spends most of her time in church-related activities, such as teen lock-ins, women’s
conferences, teaching workshops, attending revivals, and lecturing. She is noted for her delivery
to youth, sought after for her motivational speaking to people facing challenges such as moms,
singles and disadvantaged youth. (Griffin simply enjoys preaching God’s Word to all people.
Teaching workshops and preaching all over North Carolina and America, the Lord has allowed
her to share God’s Work and His Spirit with the multitude. Her favorite Scripture is Jeremiah
29:11.) Michelle resides in Kinston, North Carolina. She is single and has 12 nieces and
nephews.
MARY KLENZ
Mary Klenz joined the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg in 1991.
Since that time she has served as president (1997- 2001) and first vice president
(1993-1997). She is currently co-president of the League of Women Voters of North
Carolina.
She chaired the statewide grass-roots campaign to repeal the state food tax from
beginning to the time when the state legislature repealed the final portion of the state tax.
During that campaign, Mary traveled across the state to meet with local advocates and
members of the media, organize efforts to have people send their grocery receipts to state
legislators and talk with individuals and groups about a more fair tax system for North
Carolina. The campaign ended when legislators repealed this unfair tax.
While she served as president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg League, she helped develop
and coordinate Civics 101, a program on local government which received an award from
the national League of Women Voters. She organized a court watch in Mecklenburg
County Superior Court, coordinated televised candidate debates for City Council, County
Commission, School Board and N.C. House and Senate candidates. She also represented
the League in advocating for fairness, equity and integration of Charlotte Mecklenburg
Schools in the most recent court case. She also chaired a coalition of diverse
organizations for town meetings in all City Council and County Commission districts. In
the past, she has served on the Mecklenburg County Commission Education Futures
Commission, the Judicial District 26 Strategic Planning Task Force and the WTVI Ready
to Learn Community Advisory Board.
Mary has been the recipient of the 2001 Women’s Hall of Fame Award from the National
Association of Negro Business and Professional Women and the Museum of the New
South, recognized by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation for the 2001 Women and
Leadership in North Carolina, the 2000 NAACP Distinguished Community Service
Award, Susan B. Anthony Award for Community Service (1997), UNC-Charlotte
Woman of the Year Award (1996) and a nominee for the Nancy Smith Reynolds Award
(1999), and the 1996 Women’s Equality Day Award.
She is the founder and owner of Klenz Insurance Agency, which opened in 1979. She
has an M.A. in sociology (1993) and a B.A. in business (1978) from UNC-Charlotte.
Mary has been a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor
Society and Economics Honor Society. She received recognition as one of the Charlotte
Observer “Heroes of Democracy” (1996).
She has been married for 40 years to her husband, Bill, and has two adult children, Brad
and Beth. She has been a Charlotte resident since 1973.
SISTER TERRY MARTIN
Sister Terry Martin, CND (known to everyone as Sister Terry), was born in New York
City, the second of eight children who was greatly influenced in helping others by her
mother. Sister Terry has been in Hayesville since 1991.
Sister Terry is a compassionate, loving, caring, kind, humble and humorous person – the
list could go on and on. Sister Terry is a teacher, community worker, magician and a
mind reader. This is what REACH Inc. has discovered after years of knowing her.
Sister Terry is one of REACH’s resources for domestic violence and sexual assault
victims. When a family needs financial assistance, Sister Terry always lends a hand. A
mother and her children came to REACH on one of the coldest days of winter; they had
no heat. A call was made to Sister Terry, and the next morning sitting on REACH’s
doorstep was not one heater but three. A family called saying they had no blankets,
pillows or winter wear. In the blink of an eye, a phone call came in from the same family
saying “Thank You,” an angel appeared and they were set. The mother of three children
shared, “It’s hard to be proud when your children are cold.”
There is so much Sister Terry does for the community and the churches. She has taught
adult education classes at Tri-County Community College and started a community
center thrift store in Texana, an African-American community, in which she coordinates
shipments of donations from New York.
Interactive Training & Education Solutions May 1, 2003
Issues For Today: Finding Local Solutions
Survey Results
59 participants started the survey.
5 participants began the survey but did not answer any questions.
54 participants completed the survey.
I voted in the 2002 Congressional Election
64% or 35 of 55 Yes
36% or 20 of 55 No
I serve on the Board of Directors for (multiple answers permitted)
22% or 12 of 55 Non-Profit
7% or 4 of 55 Corporation
16% or 9 of 55 Another Organization
47% or 26 of 55 I do not currently serve on any boards
During the past 5 years, comparing what I was paid to co-workers that perform(ed) comparable work
42% or 23 of 55 I was Paid Less
2% or 1 of 55 I was Paid More
16% or 9 of 55 I was Paid about the same
9% or 5 of 55 I was Paid more than some and less than other
31% or 19 of 55 I am Paid?!
I have personally experienced violence at (multiple answers permitted)
65% or 35 of 54 Home
15% or 8 of 54 Workplace
31% or 17 of 54 While Dating
33% or 18 of 54 Have not experienced violence
When I hear a Dixie Chicks song I
27% or 15 of 55 Find another song
35% or 19 of 55 Continue to Listen
38% or 20 of 55 Don't listen to Country
I have personally experienced discrimination in (multiple answers permitted)
69% or 37 of 54 Employment
33% or 18 of 54 Housing
15% or 8 of 54 Education
9% or 6 of 54 Have not experienced discrimination
Health Insurance or Cost of Treatment has influenced my health-care choices over the past year
73% or 40 of 55 Yes
27% or 14 of 55 No
If the services were covered by health insurance I would use the following complimentary health-care
professionals
38% or 21 of 55 Chiropractor
16% or 9 of 55 Acupuncturist
29% or 16 of 55 Massage Therapist
2% or 1 of 55 Other Holistic Health-care Professional
11% or 6 of 55 None
My age falls in the range
5% or 3 of 55 Under 25
20% or 11 of 55 25-34
35% or 19 of 55 35-44
25% or 14 of 55 45-54
10% or 5 of 55 55-64
4% or 2 of 55 65 or older
I am
7% or 4 of 55 Male
93% or 50 of 55 Female